The daily herald. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1886-1887, 1887-05-10
TUESDAY, MAY 10, 1887
LIBERTY.


1t is a land of liberty. Hawaiian
liberty is transplant from the soil Of
America 1t cost the Hawaiian nothing.
The costs and charges we're borne by
American citizens. The Hawaiian
neither fought nor bled for his high
privileges. The American did. Hence
the latter sets high value on the prize,
while the former esteems il very lightly.
To the one, liberty is the birthright Of
every citizen; to the other it is the
token Of fat salaries for favored few
and abject servility to the rest. What
there is Of recognition Of popular rights
in the Constitution Of the Kingdom is
American; what is conspicuous for it,
absence in that respect is Hawaiian
These are palpable truths that seem to
have been entirely lost sight Of in the
politics Of the country Of late years.
Now il is Hawaii Tor the Hawaiiaus"
with a vengeance. F,rmerly it was
Hawaii for progress, development and
civilization. The Hawaiian Constitu-
ton carefully guards the prerogatives
Of the Crown, while the rights Of the
people are rec gnized in many places
with vsgueness and looseness Of ex-
preston, indicating that at least the
p, ople we're absent when the docu-
ment was drawn up. The Kingdom is
nearly half century old, which is not
very venerable antiquity When pro
mulgated, the Constitution was a great
step in advance; but the experiences Of
the years already past 80 to show that
in some essential points it is grievously
defective, both in matter and phrase
Can it be amended The Constitution
may be like Paddys gun, in need Of :
new lock, stock and barrel, to prevent
those now handling the weapon from
blowing their own heads Off II Ger
tainly secures to them this liberty
among others, and if there were an,
expectation that they would avail them
selves Of it within reasonable time
no further complaint would be hear'
among the taxpayers for the present
But as fortune is rather tickle in dis
pensing national fayors where peopl
do not merit then, it would be tn
wiser course for all citizens who care
continental what becomes Of the cour
try to take such steps as are manifest
needed to secure and perpctuate tn
great principles Of liberty to the King
dom Of Hawaii for all time to com,
To obtain this, constitutional amend
ments are needed which will establis
for the taxpayer that respect for hi
rights which his importance in tn
community demands Almost an
functionary except the taxpayer ma
be dispensed with by the nation. TIL
most prosperous and contenled peopl
on the face Of the earth are getiin
along wondrous well without crowne
head; but they have no idea Of eve
trying to exist without taxpayers. TIL
taxpayer there has the liberty of direci
ing how the public moneys are to b
discussed. Here lie is the last on
consulted. There, the manipulation G
public affairs certainly has the libert
to run riot in all manner of rascaity
and the citizens have also the liberty t
send the rioter to the penitentiary, |
similar facilities existed here for dealin
with irregularities, the liberties Of tn
people would be much more secure
1t is essential to high standard G
popular rights and Liberties that no on
in the state can occupy position
wherein he is not amenable to the Pre-
visions Of the Constitution or the Law
OF the land. Great Britain, the mos
extensive in area and varied in popula
ton and resources of all the empire
ever ruled by crowned head, is al
example to the world Of the supremac
Of law, the law and constit tional usag